Control system



Aug. 28, 1945. 4 c HUSTQN f 2,383,799

CONTROL SYSTEM Filed July 28, 1943 l4 x m, 15d lie 15 I53 I22 Inventor: Claude B. Huston, by WW .1

His Attorney.

- Patented Ml.- B, I!

um'rso TA-Ins @"PATENT (flande a. Boston, 8.1.,

O-npany, a corporation of a General Electric 4 n Home forrica dsnorie Application July as; it. mass course-(cl. iii-225),

This invention relates to control systems, more particularly to systems for controlling the operation of a dynamoelectric machine. andit has for an object the provision of a simple, reliable, I and improved control system of this character.

More specifically, the invention relates to systerm for controlling the excitation of a dynamoelectric machine, and a further object of the invention is the provision of a simple and effective means for forcing the excitation of such a ma chine for the purpose of producing rapid changes in an operating characteristic of such machine,

Another and more specii'ic object of the invention is the provision of means for preventing such field winding, and rectiflers are also includedin this circuit which permit this difference voltale to supply excitation currents through .the high resistance path to the control new winding to force the excitation, of the main machine when, the derived voltage is lea than the reference volt theivoltsge of the generator. In order that the rate of acceleration shall be in keeping.

with the requirements of the mill, a simple and emcient means is provided for forcing the excita- I tion of the supply generator to rise rapidly with out the use of resistors in the generator iield circuit and the los of power in such resistors when the motor is not accelerating. In illustrating the invention in one form thereoi, it is shown as embodied in a control. system such as would be useful .for controlling the operstions of a motor which drives a blooming mil1.- I 1 "or a better and more complete understanding oi the invention,

ference should now be had to the following spec ing drawing of which the single l re is a simple, tical sketch of an embodiment of theinvention.

Referring now to the drawing, an electric motor II is connected to drive the rolls of a blooming mill and is to be started, accelerated, deceierated, stopped, and reversed under the control of a master switch ii which is illustrated as a multiposition reversing typ master switch.

Thearmatureofmotorllisconnectedina closed loop circuit with thearmature of an ad- .iustabie voltage generator I! which is driven at s speed'tbat is preferably substantially constant age. These rectiflers also prevent current being supplied through thelow path such forcing action. M 1. For the purpose of preventing this forcing action from causing the controlled characteristic to "overshoot" a predetermined desired value. the

reference voltage may be modified by the secondg ary voltage of a transformer of which the primary winding is connected to be energized by the characteristic of the main machine which is being controlled. If the source of reference voltage is a pilot dynamoelectric machine, it may be provided with an auxiliary winding which is supplied from the secondary winding of the transformer.

The invention is particularly useful for controlling the operations of motors which are utilized to drive blooming mills and other types of reversing mills, in the operation of which speed of reversal is an important factor. The motors used in such service are usually supplied from an adjustable voltage generator, and a substantial portion of the acceleration of the motor from machine II.

driven at a speed which is substantially constant by any suitable driving means, such. for example.

by means of an alternating current induction motor II. This motor is-lupblied from a suitable sourcewhich is represented by the three supply lines Generator i2 is provided with a main separate- '"ly excited field winding lie, the excitation of which is controlled by suitable means illustrated as an armature reaction excited dynamoelectrle ,Dynamoelcctric machine I! is as an induction motor (not shown). The dynamoelectric machine II has two sets of brushes. One set'of brushes Ila is connected toan external load which in this case is the separately excited field winding Ila of, the supply Ienerator. The

other set of bmshes "b is short circuited. The

axis of the flux which is produced bythe current flowing in the short circuited armature conductors is referred to as the short circuit axis, and the axis which is displaced 90 electrical degrees from the short circuit axis is referred to as the control axis. The load brushes I la are on the control axis. The net flux along the control axis is produced by two opposing control held windrest during such reversal is brought about by ings lie and lid, a series compensating fleld cation and to the accompanywinding lie, and the armature reaction the load curr cut.

The field winding lic of the exciting dy amoelectric machine i5 is the main control field winding. It is. supplied from a suitable source of direct current excitation which isrepresented in the drawing by the two conductors it. The polarity of the excitation of the control field winding lie is controlled by means of a pair of reversing contactors l1 and it, the selective operation of which is under the control of the master switch ll. Since the polarity of the voltage of the supply generator I! and ultimately the direction of rotation of the mill motor ll depend upon the polarity of excitation of the main control field winding lie, the latter is also referred to as the directional control field winding. Two important operating characteristics of the exciting dynamoelectric machine I! which result from the structure described in the foregoing are its exceptionally high speed of response and its high amplification factor, i. e., the ratio between the net excitation along the control axis and the current flowing in the load circuit. The voltage control field winding lccl of the excitin machine I! opposes the directional control field winding lie and regulates the terminal voltage of the supply generator l2. The voltage control field winding ltd obtains its excitation from the difference between a voltage derived from the armature voltage of the generator I! and the voltage of a pilot generator it. This pilot generator I 9 is driven by any suitable means (not shown) at a speed which is substantially constant. It is provided with e. separately excited field winding "a which is excited from a suitable separate source of excitation, such as that represented by the supply lines is. For the purpose of providing a plurality of different values of the reference voltase with which the voltage derived from the generator (2 is to be compared, a resistor having a plurality" of sections 20a, 20b, 20c, and Zld is connected in circuit with the field winding Ila, and a plurality of relays 2|, 2!, and 23 are provided for individually short circuitlng the resistor sections 20a, 20b, and 200 as the master switch I I is moved through its second, third, and fourth positions in either the forward or reverse direction.

The voltage which is compared with a selected value of reference voltage of the pilot generator i9 is derived from the main supply generator by means of a voltage divider comprising resistor sections 24a, 24b, and 240 which are connected in series relationship across the armature terminals of the supply generator l 2.

The voltage control field ltd of the exciting dynamoelectric machine is balanced against the directional field I50. The latter always tends to force the voltage of the supply generator It to increase, while the voltage control field winding lfid opposes this forcing action to bring the excitation down to the value at which the difference or net excitation is just sufllcient to sustain the voltage desired. If the flux of the directional control field lEc were unopposed, it would force the excitation oi the supply generator I2 to two or three times that required to produce its normal rated voltage. To this forcing action, which is produced by the directional control winding l5c, is added a component of forcing produced by current supplied to the voltage control field winding lid in the reverse direction from that in which current flows in this winding when it is functioning to r gulate the voltage of the generator i2.

assavee For the purpose or limiting the combined forcing action of the two control field windings lie and. lid for the forward direction of rotation of motor ll to a reasonably safe value, a resistor 25 is included in circuit with the field winding lid. A similar resistor 26 performs the same function for the reverse direction of rotation of motor Hi. In order not to limit the current flow ing in the field winding [5d when the voltage derived from the supply generator I! exceeds the reference voltage of pilot generator I! for the forward rotation of motor In, a relatively low resistance path in parallel with the relatively high resistance 25 is provided. This low resistance parallel path is established by means of contacts "a on the forward contactor I! which short circuit the resistor 28 when the forward contactor is closed. A similar low resistance path in parallel with high resistance 26 for the reverse direction of rotation of motor I2 is provided by means of contacts Ila on the reverse contactor ll which short circuit the resistor 25 when the contactor I8 is closed.

A rectifier 21 in circuit with resistor 26 prevents current from flowing through the low resistance path provided by contacts i la during the forcing action for the forward direction of rotation of motor I0, and a similar but reversely connected rectifier 28 in circuit with resistor 25 performs a similar function for the reverse direction of rotation of motor III.

With the foregoing understanding of the elements and their organization in the system, the operation oi system itself will readily be un derstood from the following detailed description: with the master switch H in the central or oil position in which it is illustrated, the driving motor II is at rest and the supply generator 12 and the pilot generator 19 ar generating zero volt- 888.

Assuming that it is desired to accelerate the motor II in the forward direction, the master switch H is moved from the centnl or off positlon to the first forward position, in which an energizing circuit is completed for the operating coil of the forward contactor IT. This circuit is traced from the positive side of the source I6 through the fingers Ha and l lb of the master switch, bridged by the segments Hg and llh which are connected together, thence through the operating coil of contactor l1 toithe negative side of the source 18. In response to energizetion, contactor l1 picks up to close its main contacts |1a,.l|b, Ho, and lid, and to open its normally closed contacts He. Contacts I10 and "d in closing connect the directional control field winding [5c of the exciting dynamoelectrlc machine to the source Ii, thereby causing the voltage at the load brushes 15a to build up rapidly to excite the main separately excited field winding 12a of the supply generator l2, and the voltage of the supply generator I2 to rise and to accelerate the motor ll from rest.

The simultaneous closing of the contact ,I'Ib of contactor ll completes the connection of the main separately excited field winding lSa of the voltage pilot generator I! to the source IS with the resistor sections 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d included in series relationship.

A3 a result of the excitation of the main separately excited field winding 18a of the pilot generator I, its voltage rises rapidly to a low value which is determined by the resistance of the resistor section Ila, 20b, 20c, and 20d.

It may be assumed that the excitation of the supply generator I! is in such a direction that the polarity of the supply conductor llb is positive and the polarity of the supply conductor lie is negative; and it may also be assumed that the excitation of the main separately excited field winding lid of the pilot generator ii for the forward direction of rotation of motor III is such that the polarity of the brush lie is positive and the polarity of the brush lid is negative. The positive brush lie of the pilot generator i9 is connected through the resistor 25 and the rectifier II to the positive terminal of the resistor Ilb which constitutes one section of the voltage divider which is connected across the armature terminals of the supply generator l2. One terminal of the differential control field winding lid of the exciting machine ii is connected to the negative brush lid of the pilot generator is, and the other terminal of the field windin lid is connected to the negative terminal of the resistor section 241). Thus, the difference between the terminal voltage of the pilot generator ii and the voltage drop across the resistor section b is applied to the control field winding lid.

Since the voltage of the pilot generator is rises much more rapidly than the voltage of the supply generator II, it also rises much more rapidly than the voltage drop across the resistor b which is derived from the voltage of the supply generator l2. Consequently, current is caused to fiow from the positive terminal lic of the pilot generator Ii through the resistor Ii, the rectifier 2i, resistor section 24b, control field winding lid to the negative terminal lid of pilot generator ii. The rectifier 21 prevents current from flowing through the parallel low resistance path of contacts Ila. The current flow through the field winding lid is in such a direction that the field winding lid is energized cumulatively with the field winding lie. The result of this cumulative excitation of the field windings lie and lid is that the voltage at the load brushes of the exciting dynamoelectric machine ii is caused to rise rapidly, thereby to force the excitation of the main field'winding l2a of the sumly generator II. This forcing action of course forces the terminal voltage of the supply generator I! to rise very rapidly, thereby to produce a rapid acceleration of the motor ll which is supplied therefrom. I

The forcing action which results from the cumulative excitation of the two control field windings lie and lid of the exciting dynamoelectrlc machine li can be made as vigorous as desired. I

If, for example, the directional control field winding lie is adiusted to have a normal excitation of three times the net excitation that is required to produce the desired terminal voltage of the supply generator II, the supplementary forcing obtained momentarily as a result of current flowing in the reverse direction through the differential control neld winding lid may momentarily add as much as four or five times not excitation, thereby producing a total of seven or eight times the net excitation required to sustain the normal terminal voltage of the supply generator l2.

As the voltage of the supply generator I! rises, the voltage drop across the resistor section 24b rises proportionately, thereby diminishing the difference between the voltage drop across the resistor section b and the voltage of the pilot generator ll, so that this supplementary forcing action which is produced by this difference voltage gradually decreases and is eliminated entirely when the voltage drop across the resistor section lib equal. the voltage of the pilot generator ii. If the voltage drop across the resistor section 24b just equals the voltage of the pilot generator ii, the net excitation of the control field winding lid will be zero, and thus the control field winding lid will not produce any regulating action in the system. However, as soon as the voltage drop across the resistor section 24b exceeds the voltage of the pilot generator ll, current flow from the positive terminal of the resistor section 24b through the rectifier 2l,the contacts lid of forward contactor ll (in the closed position thereof), the armature of the pilot generator li through the field winding lid to the negative terminal of the resistor section 24b. The current flow thus produced is in such a direction that the excitation of the field winding lid is differential with respect to the excitation of the field winding lic. This produces a decrease in the voltage at the load terminals of the exciting dynamoelectric machine ii which, in turn, causes the terminal voltage of the supply generator I! to decrease correspondingly. This decrease in the voltage of the supply generator I! continues until a balanced condition in the system is reached, in which the net excitation of the exciting dynamoelectric machine ii is Just sui'llcient to sustain the desired voltage of the supply generator l2 and, consequently, the desired speed of the motor l0. Thus, the voltage of the supply generator I! and the speed of the motor ii are regulated closely to the reference voltage produced by the pilot generator li.

Movement of the master switch ii to the second forward position causes the contactor II to pick up and short circuit the resistor section 2011 in the circuit of the main separately excited field.

winding lid of the pilot generator l9. This increases the reference voltage developed by the pllot generator, and as a result, the voltage of the supply generator I! and the speed of the motor ii are forced upward in a manner which is identical with that already described to a new high value corresponding in magnitude to the new value of the reference voltage.

Likewise, on the third and fourth positions of the master switch ii a similar forclng'action takes place which causes the voltage of the supply generator I! and the speed of the motor ill to rise rapidly to new values corresponding to the position of the master switch.

The vigorous forcing action which results from the cumulative excitation of the control field windings lie and lid of th'e exciting dynamoelectric machine causes the voltage of the supply generator l2 and the motor ill to rise so rapidly as to tend to "overshoot the predetermined desired final values This tendency to overshoot is counteracted by means of an auxiliary field winding lib on the pilot generator I! which is excited from the secondary winding of a transformer 29 of which the primary winding is connecmd to be excited by the voltage of the supply generator it. When the voltage of the supply generator I! is changing, an impulse voltage is induced in the secondary winding of the transformer 2i, and this impulse voltage is applied to the auxiliary field winding.

The polarity of the connections of th'e secondary winding 'of the transformer 29 to the auxiliary field winding lib is so chosen that the impulse voltage excites the auxiliary winding differentially with respect to the main separately excited field winding lia. There is sufilcient delay in this counteraction to permit the voltage of the pilot generator to rise very rapidly to about 80 per cent of its final value, as determined by a the position the master switch H, and thencaiier to build-up slowly to the ilnal sustained value. Consequently, the voltage derived from the supply generator I! has an opportunity to" overtake the voltage of the pilot generator and to reverse the excitation o! the field winding lld oi the exci a dynamoelectric machine ll o that it acts diil'erentially with respect to the direcwinding ilc. This results in tional control held conncctionsincludingparalielrelativclyhiah a reduction of the excitation of the supply gen erator I! so that its voltage and the speed oi the motor ll level 0!! at the value which it is mtaoded to sustain without any overshooting action; Acceleration of the motor il in the reverse direction is brought about by movement or the 1 the excitation'ot said main dynamoelectric ma-s master switch H to a selected position in the rcverse direction corresponding to the desired parallel low resistance path of contacts J80.

In all other respects the operation in the reverse direction is identical with the previously described operation in the forward direction.

Although in accordance with the provisions oi the Patent Statutes this invention is described as embodied in concrete'iorm and the principle thereof is explained, together-with the best mode.

and relatively low resistance paths ior applying the diiierence 0! said voltages to said control neldwindingtoencitesaidoontroliieldwinding to toroc'ths excitation oi said main machine when said derived voltage is less than said reference voltage and to reduce the excitation of said main machine whcn'said derived voltage ex coach said reference voltage} and a unidirectional oonductingdcviceinsaidlowresistancepathto prevent me ilow of current through said low resistanoe path in a direction to eiiect iorcing of china.

8. moomlnnatimamamdynamoelectricmachins providcdwith arr-armature and a neld winding. means for deriving a voltage from said armature, aipflot dynamoelectric machine for generating a reference volt ge. means (or exciting'sald field winding comprising a dynamoelcctric machine provided with a control field winding, electrical connections (or appivl l the difierenoe of said voltages to said control iisld winding to control said exciting machine to force .the excitation of said main machine when said derived voltqc is less than said reference voltagcandtoreduoethsexcitation of said main machincwhsnsaid darivcdvoltageexceedssaid reference voltage; and means !or preventing said forcing action from causing the voltage of said main machine to exceed a predetermined value comprising a field winding on said pilot machine and a transformer having its primary windinl conncctodto be energised by the voltage oi said main machine and having its secondary winding connected to said pilot machine field winding.

4-. In combination, a main dynamoelectric machinchaving an armature and a hold winding.

in which it is now contemplated applying that principle, it will be understood that the apparatus shown and described is merely illustrative and that the invention is not limited thereto.

since alterations and modifications will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit of this invention or from the scope of the annexed claims, What I claim as new and desire tosecure y Letters Patent 0! the United States is:

1. In combination, a main dynamoelcctrlc machine provided with an armature and a hold winding, means for deriving a voltage from said armature, a source of reference voltage, means for exciting said field winding comprising a dynamoelectric machine provided with a control ileld winding, electrical connections for applying the diii'erence of said voltages to said control field winding to excite said control field winding to force the excitation of said 'main machine when said derived voltage'is less thansaid reference voltage and to reduce the excitation oi said main machine when said derived voltage exceeds said reference voltage, a relatively high resistance path and a. relatively low resistance path included in parallel in said connections, and means for preventing current from flowing in said low resistance path during said forcing action.

2. In combination, a main dynamoelcctric machine provided with an armature and a iield winding, means connected across the terminals of said armature for deriving a voltage from the voltage across said armature, a source 0! refer-- ence voltage, means for exciting said field winding comprising a dynamoelectric machine provided with a control field winding, electrical means cmncotcd across'thc terminals of said armature for deriving a voltage from the voltage across said armature, a source of reference voltage. a dynamoelectric machine (or exciting said field winding, and provided with a main control iield winding and with a second control iicld winding connected to be excited cumulatively with said main control field winding by the differenoc of said voltages to control said exciting dynamoelectric-machinc to force the excitation of the field winding of said main dynamoelectric machine when said reference voltage exceeds said derived voltage and to be excited diilerentially with respect to said control neld winding when said derived voltage exceeds said reierence voltage to control said exciting dynamoelectric machine to reduce said derived voltage.

5. in combination, a main dynamoelectric ma.

chine provided with an armature and a field winding, a source of reference voltage, means (or deriving a voltage from said armature, a dynamoelcctrie machine ior exciting said iield winding provided with a main control fleldwinding and a second control field winding, connections from said source and said voltage deriving means tosaid seoond iield winding providing (or exciting said second field winding cumulatively with said main omtrol field winding when said derived voltage is less than said reierence voltage, to cause said second machine to force the excitation or said main machine, a resistance included in said connections for limiting said forcing action, additional connections including a relatively low resistance path in parallel with said resistance for exciting said second neld winding difierentially with said control neld winding when said derived voltage exceeds said reference voltage to cause said exciting machine to reduce the excitation of said main machine, and a unidirectional conducting device in said low resistance path to prevent the flow 01' current through said low resistance path in the direction to efiect forcing of the excitation of said main machine.

6. In combination, a main dynamoelectric machine provided with an armature and a fieldt winding, means for deriving a voltage from said armature, a source of reference voltage. means for exciting said field, winding comprising a dynamoelectric machine provided with a main directional control field winding and a second control field winding, reversing switching means for said directional control field winding to provide for excitation in either direction, electrical connections for exciting said second control field windingcumulatively with said directional control field winding when said derived voltage is less than said reference voltage to force the excitation of said main machine and differentially with respect to said directional control winding when said derived voltage exceeds said reference voltage to reduce the excitation of said main machine, a pair of resistances included in parallel in said connections, means for selectively rendering said resistances inefiective thereby to provide alternate high and low resistance paths, a rectifier included in circuit with one of said resistances and a reversely connected rectifier connected in circuit with the other of said resistances for preventing the 'flow of current through a low resistance path during said forein: action irrespective of the polarities of said reference and derived voltages.

CLAUDE B. HUSTON. 

